Elbow Beach has appointed Edward Shapard as its new General Manger starting on January 1 next year, it was announced today.Mr Shapard, a US citizen, has been with Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group for nearly seven years. He embarked on his career with the group in June 2005 as Hotel Manager at Mandarin Oriental, New York.For the past two years Mr Shapard has been the Hotel Manager at Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong, where he has deepened his understanding of Mandarin Oriental’s Asian heritage and worked alongside skilled and tenured colleagues to deliver the flagship properties well-known legendary service.Prior to joining Mandarin Oriental, Mr Shapard was Director of Operations at the Sheraton, New Orleans from 2003 to 2005. From 2001 to 2003, he was the hotel’s Director of Six Sigma, Black Belt, where he implemented the Six Sigma process improvement methodology to the hotel’s Executive Committee. Mr. Shapard gained his first resort experience with The Orchid at Mauna Lani, Hawaii from 1998 to 2000. He is also a graduate of the Mandarin Oriental MBA program.Mr. Shapard is succeeding Frank Stocek who is being transferred to sister property Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur. Mr. Stocek first joined Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group as a management trainee in 1983 and has been at Elbow Beach since 2001.